Green light for Europe's largest onshore wind farm

Proposals to build the largest single onshore wind farm in Europe have been given the green light by the Scottish Executive.

The Scottish Power Whitelee wind farm project will involve an array of 140 turbines with a maximum output of 322 megawatts. This would meet some two per cent of Scotland's annual electricity needs.

The site is located on elevated ground to the south of East Kilbride. It occupies an area of moorland and forestry centred on the Corse, Drumduff and Myres Hills and straddles the broad ridge formed these hills. The total area of land involved is extensive, some 55 square kilometres.

Work on the £300m scheme will begin shortly with first power expected during 2008. The whole array should be up and running in 2009.

The project has involved extensive consultation with three separate planning authorities (East Ayrshire Council, East Renfrewshire Council and South Lanarkshire Council).

It also posed problems, subsequently resolved, for the operation of air traffic control radars and a MetOffice weather radar installation

Deputy enterprise minister Allan Wilson said: "Whitelee is the largest single onshore wind farm to be consented in Europe and is a significant milestone towards achieving our renewable energy and climate change targets."

Roger Milne

4 May 2006